As part of its efforts to help address poverty among cocoa farmers in the country, Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA) in partnership with Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co KG, Fuchs & Hoffmann and Ascot Amsterdam has taken steps to support farming groups with additional livelihood intervention initiatives in the Western-South Region.

The Association believes that farmers should not just be living but rather be thriving. They said that should be the goal of the living income for farmers.

The additional livelihood interventions program is been adored by cocoa farmers in Akotom in the Bogoso Cocoa District, Pieso in the Prestea Cocoa District, Adum Banso in the Tarkwa Cocoa District and Nkurakan in the Ayinese Cocoa District all in the Western-South Region of Ghana.

The alternative livelihood initiatives is targeting about 526 members and their households and helping them boost their domestic income from cocoa and other agricultural products through living income interventions, shade trees planting, farmer land registration, supportive Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) and the Farmer Business School (FBS) initiatives was executed as part the interventions.

The first groups of beneficial communities were handover tricycles, Agro chemical shop and snail starter pack which included snails, boxes and feed as start-ups for the additional livelihood intervention initiatives.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony, Council Chairman for Cocoa Abrabopa Association, Ismaila Pomasi explained that the root causes of poverty are many with the location, infrastructure, educational levels, availability of jobs, farm sizes and capital for investment are the overarching key factors.

“The solutions for increasing the living income are different for each household and the communities they live in, that is why we at Cocoa Abrabopa Association (CAA) are putting our all in this living income and additional livelihood intervention project as a key module of cocoa sustainability in Ghana.

“Different members have different needs and see different opportunities to turn the tide.  Therefore, cocoa farmers in Akotom in the Bogoso Cocoa District said they needed support to put up an Agro chemical shop in their community as a way of easy accessibility to purchase a product at a very affordable price, so we are doing exactly that for them.

“Cocoa farmers in Pieso in the Prestea and Adum Banso in the Tarkwa Cocoa District required tricycles for the transportation of their beans from the farm to their homes at a very minimal cost and stress-free.

“While cocoa farmers in the Nkurakan in the Ayinese Cocoa District desired knowledge in snail rearing; which we have done for them as well.

“CAA is helping contribute to sustainable cocoa production in Ghana and also supporting our farmers and their households in building economically viable and resilient cocoa production which will lead to sustainable improved livelihoods,” he said.

The Sustainability Manager for Cocoa Abrabopa Association, Wilfred Apiung explained that the birth of these great modules introduced in cocoa growing communities is allowing the CAA and its partners to get to the core of what matters most to the cocoa farmer.

“Farmers' issues are on my heart and I believe that sustainable agriculture and a targeted set of alternative livelihood innovations, like the additional livelihood initiative will help farmers produce better cocoa, adapt to climate change, increase their productivity and set goals to achieve our cocoa sustainability agenda” he pointed out.

The leaders of the farmer groups revealed that the living income initiative project been championed by the CAA is going to help reduce poverty in their communities.

They used the opportunity to thank the CAA for helping them understand how important it is to improve their livelihoods as cocoa farmers, crusade for their human rights, and helping them mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

In attendance during the handing over ceremony were the Technical Coordinator for (Bogoso Operational Area) Mr. Jonathan Haefiade, Mr. Selorm Wordi (Western Regional Manager, Cocoa Abrabopa Association), Mr. Philips Apalogta (Sustainability Coordinator), Mr. Joseph Adu Bosi (Child Development Officer) and some cocoa farmers in the various communities took part in the ceremony.